DE 103 09 593 A1 discloses a cover for a vehicle roof and a method of production therefore. Such a cover is, for example, suitable to be connected by the connector device according to the invention to an adjustment mechanism of an openable vehicle roof. For this purpose, the cover has cover holders. Furthermore, the cover has a lateral panel which, in the fitted state, projects downward and is intended to visually cover the fastening points of the cover to the adjustment mechanism.
According to the applicant's own prior art, covers of this type customarily have two fastening holes per cover holder. Such modified covers are usually connected by a connector device, as illustrated schematically in FIGS. 3 and 4, to the adjustment mechanism, in particular to the kinematic actuating mechanism of the openable vehicle roof. FIG. 3 illustrates, in a perspective illustration, part of an actuating lever 100 of a kinematic actuating or adjustment mechanism of an openable vehicle roof. The actuating lever 100 has a free end 101. A fastening pin 103 extends from the free end 101 in a direction 102 toward the central longitudinal plane of the vehicle. The fastening pin 103 sits in a rotationally fixed manner in the actuating lever 100. A plastic bush 105 is arranged rotatably about a central axis 104 on the fastening pin 103. The plastic bush 105 is connected in a form-fitting manner to a retaining plate 106. The retaining plate 106 has fastening openings 107 into which a suitable fastening means 112, for example a screw, can be inserted for connection to a retainer device 108 for the roof cover. The retainer device 108 is, for example, an angled region of an inner cover panel and sits, as seen in the transverse direction 102 of the vehicle, between the actuating lever 100 and the retaining plate 106. Such an arrangement requires a screwed installation in an installation direction 109 from an outside 110 of the vehicle toward the inside 111 of the vehicle.
It is clear in particular from FIG. 4 that, in the case of an installation direction 109 from the outside 110 of the vehicle to the inside 111 of the vehicle, a polyurethane foam cladding or a visible panel 113 which extends downward from the cover in order to visually conceal the connecting points of the cover to the adjustment mechanism is a nuisance. This problem has hitherto been solved by the polyurethane foam cladding of the cover being interrupted in the region of the fastening or retainer devices 108 and, instead of the polyurethane foam cladding, use being made of a plastic panel which can be removed for the purpose of installation and, if appropriate, removal in order to ensure access to the screw heads. A further solution approach is to omit the plastic panel 113 and to design the polyurethane foam cladding, which is to be provided in the region of the retainer devices 108, to be thin enough such that it can be deformed during the screwing operation, i.e. can be bent away elastically upward, in order to allow access to the screws 112. The prior art connector device described above has the disadvantage of requiring relatively long installation times for installing the cover on the kinematic adjustment mechanism, since either the thin polyurethane foam cladding has to be bent upward in the region of the connecting points, in order to allow access to the screws, or the plastic panel has to be inserted afterwards as a separate part. Both variants result in an unsatisfactory visual impression since, in the case of a thin polyurethane foam cladding in the region of the connecting points, there is the risk that the bending upward of the foam cladding will lead to said foam cladding no longer being entirely returned to its initial state and remaining rippled. The use of a plastic panel has the disadvantage that the visible surface has to be coordinated at a cost so that as little difference as possible can be perceived between the plastic panel and the adjoining polyurethane foam cladding region. However, visual lines continue to remain interrupted. In addition, the provision of a plastic panel is cost-intensive, since an additional component is required. Apart from the factors mentioned above, there is also the need to simplify the construction of the connector device and in particular to reduce the weight thereof. At the same time, simple installation is to be made possible, with, in particular, the visual impression in the region of connecting points of a cover to the adjustment mechanism being improved.
This object is achieved by a connector device having the features of various embodiments presented herein. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.
In the case of the connector device according to the invention, it is advantageous in particular that one installation direction, in particular a screwing direction from the inside of the vehicle to the outside of the vehicle, is provided such that a continuous covering panel can be provided extending downward from the cover in order to visually conceal the connecting points. For example, the polyurethane foam cladding can be guided past the connecting point at a uniform thickness such that, firstly, a plastic panel can be omitted and, secondly, the polyurethane foam cladding is sufficiently stable even at this point that no undesirable ripples occur. It is furthermore advantageous that the retaining plate used hitherto can be omitted and is preferably replaced by a washer which is simple to produce and is substantially lighter in weight. Furthermore, it is provided to fasten a retainer device for a cover for an openable vehicle roof directly to a bearing pin of the connector device, particularly preferably concentrically with respect to the central axis of said bearing pin. A particularly appropriate bearing pin in this connection is one which has a central passage opening with an internal thread into which a fastening screw can be screwed. The fastening screw holds the retainer device for the cover in a rotationally fixed and axially fixed manner with the use of a washer. The bearing pin is mounted rotatably with regard to an actuating lever of the adjustment mechanism and, in a particularly preferred embodiment, is inserted captively in the actuating lever, in particular is wobble-riveted with the use of a washer.